Check-out counter



Jan. 22, 1963 R. F. JOYCE CHECK-OUT COUNTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4, 1961 FIG? INVENTOR.

RIQJHARD E JOYCE ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1963 R. F. JOYCE CHECK-OUT COUNTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1961 INVENTOR.

RICHARD E JO C ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1963 R. F. JOYCE CHECK-OUT COUNTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 4, 1961 FIG.9

FIG.IO

INVENTOR.

RICHARD E JOYCE ATTORNEYS 3,074,511 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 3,074,511 CHECK-OUT COUNTER Richard F. Joyce, 26 S. Park St., Bradford, Mass. Filed Dec. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 156,633 Claims. (Cl. 1861) This invention relates to check-out counters, and particularly to a novel construction of check-out counters to be used in self-service stores and supermarkets.

One object of my invention is to reduce congestion and delay in supermarkets by speeding up the process in which the merchandise is checked out or tallied, and the customer pays for his merchandise while it is to be put into bags, cartons or boxes, to be carried from the store either by hand or by mechanical means.

Congestion takes place frequently in large supermarkets and other self-service stores while the customer waits in a line for his or her turn at the cashiers stand and while his merchandise is checked out and placed in bags. All

stores, especially supermarkets, seek to speed up the checkout operation, and conveyor belts and rotary turntables used to move the items of merchandise more speedily are common.

The primary object of my invention is to reduce the handling of the items of merchandise and in this way to reduce the number of clerks required at a given cashiers stand, to handle the checking out operation. Usually a self-service store requires two employees at a single cashiers stand for this purpose. One employee serves as a cashier and adds up the customers purchases and receive payment while the other employee puts the merchandise into bags.

Previously such devices as a circular table rotating in a horizontal plane have been used to speed up the bagging operation, but it does not eliminate the services of the second clerk who separately places packages of merchandise into the paper bags. Conveyor belts and mechanical rollers have been used but they also did not prove to operate efficiently nor did they tend to reduce labor and labor costs.

A further object of my invention is to drastically reduce the amount of time required to process a customer through the check-out counter. I accomplish this result by providing a check-out counter system and mechanism which permits the cashier while checking out each item of merchandise and adding up the prices on thercash register at the same time to place the merchandise in the paper bags or other suitable container whereby they are delivered mechanically to the delivery clerk, who in turn places them in carriages, or places them on a conveyor belt for outside delivery. Thereby a second separate handling of the items of merchandise is eliminated.

Because the delivery clerk does not have to handle the items of merchandise separately there is no further delay in this operation, and he can deliver the bags of merchandise immediately to the customer, or to the conveyor belt for outside delivery, and if desired, one delivery clerk can handle two check-out counters. Thus a single cashier with a check-out counter of my invention will be able to process more customers in the same amount of time as previously required merely to tally the items of merchandise, and thus be able to reduce lines in waiting for the cashier. Also due to multiple check-out machines if a large number of customers suddenly are in need of a cashier due to the increased speed of my invention this sudden large volume can be more easily serviced than with any previous method.

Briefly my invention comprises a housing having front, rear and side walls, and preferably a top shelf for supporting the cash register, which housing supports a cylindrical magazine rotating on a horizontal transverse axis, and carrying a pair of opposed pivotally supported shelves,

B for receiving and supporting bags and cartons containing merchandise and delivering them in a half cycle of revolution to the delivery point station, and automatic leveling means for maintaining the pivoted shelves in a level poSi' tion during the rotation of the magazine, and power means for rotating the magazine.

With these and other objects in View there is illustrated in the accompanying drawing a form in which my invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing my invention from the front.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing my invention from the rear.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view with the walls partly broken away to show the interior.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shelf supporting bracket.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section showing the successive positions of the shelves as the magazine rotates.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing the adjustable stop switch at front of magazine.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation showing the automatic stop switch at the rear of the magazine.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken through the center hub.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View showing means for maintaining tension of the shelf leveling chain.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken through the shelf support bracket.

Referring in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional conveyor C that is often found in supermarkets to carry merchandise automatically past the cashier. My check-out counter is preferably used in conjunction with and is placed adjacent to the conveyor C. But it will be understood that my device can be used without the conveyor C. The exterior of my check-out counter comprises opposing side walls 20 and 22 and front and rear walls 24 and 26 and fiooring 28. Top shelf 39 rests upon side walls 20 and 22 and is used to support a standard cash register CR, but it will be understood that top shelf 30 may be omitted. Standards or posts 32 and 34 are utilized for conduit wire that is used to carry electric current to lamp assemblies 36 and 38 that are supported by standards or posts 32 and 34, and standard or post 34 acts as a mounting support for switch 39 which will be described below in greater detail. Open spaces or apertures 40 and 42 are present in both front and rear panels 24 and 26 to provide for access to the interior magazine.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of my check-out counter with walls 20 and 22 and front 24 and rear 26 panels broken away to show a detailed view of the inte rior portion. Electric motor M is located on floor 28 adjacent to front wall 24 and is utilized as the source of power necessary to operate my check-out counter.

Main drive shaft 50 extends distally from motor M and transmits the drive in standard fashion to fixedly attached pulley 52. Pulley 52 transmits the drive to pulley 54 by means of V belts 56. Pulley 54, fixedly attached to shaft 58 which extends laterally across the front of my check-out counter further transmits the drive to pulleys 6t) and 62 which are also fixedly attached to shaft 48. The outer extremities of shaft 58 extend through and are supported by pillow blocks 64 and 66. Bearings 64A and 66A centered in pillow blocks 64 and 66 reduce friction and therefore greatly aid the rotation of shaft 58. Pulleys 66 and 62 transmit the drive through V belts 68 and 70 to multiple purpose pulleys or wheels 72 and 74. Wheels 72 and 74 are utilized for several different uses. They rotate, in unison, from the drive from V belts 68 and 70 in a counter-clockwise direction. Unison of rotation is achieved by means of a fixedly attached central hub shaft 76 extending distally from wheel 74 with fixedly attached drive sprocket 78, driving link chain 80 in a counter-clockwise direction, in turn driving sprocket 82 which is secured to horizontal rear drive shaft 84 which is supported by standard pillow block and bearing assembly 86. Drive shaft 84 extends horizontally across the rear of my counter and. transmits the drive to an identical compound assembly that is complementary in every respect to the timing assembly on the right side of my check-out counter, as shown in FIG. 3. This drive assembly, driven by sprocket 78 keeps wheels 72 and 74 rotating in unison because it forces each wheel to rotate in the identical ratio of the identical sprocket teeth to the chain. Standard V belts such as belts 68 and 70 are known to slip and even though this slippage is often very negligible the handicap is overcome by the drive and timing assembly driven by sprocket 78.

A pair of folding shelves 88 comprising pivoted side 89 and bottom shelf 90 are transversely mounted on cross-bars 92 pivotally mounted on wheels 72 and 74 and are used to receive the merchandise after it is tallied by the cashier. Bags or cartons may be placed upon the lower shelf 90 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and when the operating cycle of my check-out counter commences they will be transported in a counter-clockwise direction from front to rear in a circular arc. The two pairs of folding shelves comprising portions 89 and 90 are diametrically mounted on the wheels 72 and 74. A novel means of construction is used whereby during rotation, shelf parts 89 and 90 remain open in standard chair fashion during the lower part of the revolution when they serve as a receptacle for merchandise or bags. When the bags are removed from the rear aperture 40 the shelf collapses or folds down for the upper portion of the complete revolution and opens again as it is returned to its original starting position. This process is best shown in FIG. 5. The upper and lower portions 89 and 90 of shelves 88 are connected to hinges 94 as shown in FIG. 4 to cross-bar 92. A limit rod 96 with spring 97 thereon is provided to control or limit the rearward movement of the upper portions of shelves 89 and 90 and also serve to guide them as the side 89 folds onto bottom shelf 90 as shelves 89 and 90 go through the upper portion of their revolution. The upper portion of shelves 89 and 90 automatically collapse when they strike top shelf 30 and said shelves remain in folded position until they reach the desired point where roller 98, secured to the upper portion of shelf 89 is forced upon cam surface 160 extending upwardly from the inner surface of side 20. Cam surface 100, being a curved arcuate rib picks up and maintains contact with roller 98 and forces the upper portion of shelves 89 or 90 to open as a standard chair when it reaches the desired position for loading.

Means is provided for leveling shelf 92 by cam shaft 105 and cams 106 and 108. As the shelf rotates cams 106 and 108 rotate fixedly with the wheels 72 and 74 and are so positioned as to maintain contact with shelf 90 during the lower portion of'the rotation cycle. Crossbar 92 is rotated by endless chain 110 turning sprockets 112 and 114, and which rotates around fixed sprocket 116. A novel means of construction is used in that sprocket 116 is fixedly attached to frame member 118 and idler 120 is utilized to insure contact between endless chain 110 and sprocket 116. An adjustable tightening device of a conventional nature, as best shown in FIG. 9, is provided to insure the desired tension on chain 110. As wheel 74 rotates, it in turn causes integral rotation of sprockets 112 and 114 and chain 110. This cross-bar sprocket and chain assembly is so geared as to provide proper contact between cross-bar 92 and cams 106 and 108 at all times.

As shown in FIG. 6, contacts 122 and 124 are placed opposite each other on the outer surface of wheel 74.

These contacts will strike adjustable switch 126 and cause my check-out counter to stop automatically in the same exact position every cycle. Handle 128 is provided to adjust switch 126 by either pulling or pushing to the desired position. Adjustable switch 126 is important to the cashier because he or she can adjust the position where the loading shelf stops and thereby reduce fatigue because the stopping point has been set at the exact point where it will be most comfortable to the individual.

Switch assembly 39 mounted upon pole or standard 34 at the rear or unloading end, will also automatically stop the operation of my check-out counter when any- ;hing strikes the switch. The bags or cartons of merchandise will come up through the rear aperture 42 and strike the switch, having extension 39A that horizontally crosses aperture 42, which will insure a positive contact. Light 36 is automatically illuminated to signal the store employees that my check-out counter is ready to be unloaded. The check-out counter will not start again until the cashier removes the bags and presses the main starter switch S that is placed on the front 24 of my check-out counter.

It is obvious that other modifications, variations and adaptations of my device may be provided without departing from my invention as described in the following claims:

I claim:

1. A check-out counter for self-service stores, comprising a housing having front, rear and side walls, said housing being open at the top, front and rear,

a cylindrical magazine rotatably supported in side walls of said housing for rotation on a horizontal transverse axis, and movable to successive receiving and delivery stations, said cylindrical magazine having two end wheels, and

a pair of diametrically opposed shelves pivotally supported on said wheels for receiving and supporting bags or cartons of merchandise thereon,

power means for rotating said magazine, and

means for automatically maintaining the shelves in a level position during rotation of the magazine.

2. A check-out counter for self-service stores, comprising V a housing having front, rear, and side walls, said housing being open at the top, front and rear,

a cylindrical magazine rotatably supported in the side walls of said housing for rotation on a horizontal transverse axis and movable to successive receiving and delivery stations by intermittent motion, said cylindrical magazine having two end wheels, and

a pair of diametrically opposed shelves pivotally supported on said wheels for receiving and supporting bags or cartons of merchandise thereon,

power means for rotating said magazine,

means for automatically maintaining the shelves in a level position during rotation of the magazine,

and switch means for stopping rotation of said magazine as the shelves reach said receiving and delivery stations. g

8 A check-out counter for self-service stores, comprising a housing having front, rear, and side walls, said housmg being open at the top, front and rear,

a cylindrical magazine rotatably supported in the side walls of said housing for rotation on a horizontal transverse axis and movable to successive receiving and delivery stations by intermittent motion, said cylindrical magazine having two end wheels, and

a pair of diametrically opposed shelves pivotally supported on said wheels for receiving and supporting bags or cartons of merchandise thereon,

a power means for rotating said magazine,

7 means for automatically maintaining the shelves in 'a level position during rotation of the magazine,

switch means for stopping rotation of said magazine as the shelves reach said receiving and delivery stations,

and cam means for tilting said shelves forwardly at the receiving station.

4. A check-out counter for self-service stores, comprising a housin having front, rear and side walls, said housing being open at the top, front and rear,

a cylindrical magazine rotatably supported in the side walls of said housing for rotation on a horizontal transverse axis and movable successively to receiving station at the front and a delivery station at the rear of the counter, having two spaced wheels at the ends thereof,

a pair of opposed brackets connecting said wheels and pivotally mounted therein,

a shelf having a bottom and a pivotally connected rear side hinged to each or" said brackets for receiving and supporting bags or cartons of merchandise thereon,

power means for rotating said magazine,

belt means for automatically maintaining said shelfsupporting brackets in level position during rotation of the magazine,

and switch means for stopping rotation of said magazine as the shelves reach said receiving and delivery stations.

5. A check-out counter for self-service stores, comprising a housing having front, rear and side Walls, said housing being open at the top, front and rear,

a cylindrical magazine rotataoly supported in the side walls of said housing for rotation on a horizontal transverse axis and movable successively to a receiving station at the front and a delivery station at the rear of the counter, having two spaced wheels at the ends thereof,

a pair of opposed brackets connecting said wheels and pivotally mounted therein,

a shelf a bottom and a pivotally connected rear side hinged to each of said brackets for receiving and supporting bags or cartons of merchandise thereon,

power means for rotating said magazine,

belt means for automatically maintaining said shelfsupporting brackets in level position during rotation of the magazine,

switch means for stopping rotation of said magazine as tie shelves reach said receiving and delivery stations,

and cam means for tilting said shelves forwardly at the receiving station.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,269,825 Langdon June 18, 1918 

3. A CHECK-OUT COUNTER FOR SELF-SERVICE STORES, COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING FRONT, REAR, AND SIDE WALLS, SAID HOUSING BEING OPEN AT THE TOP, FRONT AND REAR, A CYLINDRICAL MAGAZINE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ON A HORIZONTAL TRANSVERSE AXIS AND MOVABLE TO SUCCESSIVE RECEIVING AND DELIVERY STATIONS BY INTERMITTENT MOTION, SAID CYLINDRICAL MAGAZINE HAVING TWO END WHEELS, AND A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED SHELVES PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID WHEELS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING BAGS OR CARTONS OF MERCHANDISE THEREON, A POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID MAGAZINE, MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINING THE SHELVES IN A LEVEL POSITION DURING ROTATION OF THE MAGAZINE, SWITCH MEANS FOR STOPPING ROTATION OF SAID MAGAZINE AS THE SHELVES REACH SAID RECEIVING AND DELIVERY STATIONS, AND CAM MEANS FOR TILTING SAID SHELVES FORWARDLY AT THE RECEIVING STATION. 